Saturday

My belly is bigger and I have lost count of the number of times people have told me that.  Like I didn't know, after all, I am the one who awkwardly tries to roll over in bed at night, comforted by grunts and sighs.  When walking Nicholas to school for the drop off before I head to work the other morning, he said "I don't think you should wear boots while you are pregnant, because your belly is big now and you could lose balance and fall forwards."  Cute that he was concerned! 

I am coming up to 30 weeks in a couple of days and for the past two weeks this little baby has begun stretching and pushing and kicking.  I find myself wondering where I will be when I go into labour.  With seven weeks left at work I imagine that I will come early and the three weeks I have allowed myself will not be enough to get organised.  The other week I told David to start stocking up on nappies, and I also bought a set of cotton bassinet sheets and some fabric to make some flannelette sheets and wraps.  Her one little drawer is filling up.

I remember the day before I had Audrey (being induced) I took Nicholas outside in the sun and we had a picnic on our last day before a sibling arrived.  last night David and Nicholas went to the Brumbies.  It is lovely for them to have that time together, and Nicholas particularly enjoys the ritual of Goodberries afterwards!

I decided I should do something with Audrey, to make it feel special for her.  I saw a Strawberry Shortcake book with figurines and a play mat of a village included on sale.  We made cupcakes (iced them pink) then played for a bit before going to bed with a story and falling asleep together. 

It is so cold today.  Audrey is at a birthday party and Nicholas is watching Star Wars, in his Jedi robe with light saber and eating his favourite stewed apples with ice cream.

Other than that I am preoccupied with de-cluttering EVERYWHERE (or at least preoccupied with the thoughts of it), thinking about what I need for the baby and what meal I can make a freeze for the family in preparation.  Oh, and I'm taking 10 minutes here and there to read a novel and am enjoying 'The Little Paris Kitchen' at the moment!



I decided that just buying nappies and cream to prepare was a little sad, so decided I needed a beautifully scented soap and a small two cup teapot for when the hospital boots me out 6 hours after giving birth (or so they warn me).  I want to make my bedroom at least feel like a little sanctuary for a few days while I heal and bond with our new girl.  :)

Wednesday

Fog has settled around the house this morning.  Nicholas and Audrey are walking to school this morning in gloves and beanies.  I have a cardigan and scarf.  When Audrey and I get home the house is warm and I make Audrey a hot chocolate and myself a cup of tea.  It feels the perfect thing for reflecting a little in this space.  Earlier this week this baby, growing by the day it seems, was constantly active.  I took a heat pack to work so that I could bring some relief to my side.  I thought of her (the sonographer was so certain it would be a shock if we find otherwise) and picture her looking like her brother and sister.  Lots of dark hair.  At times it still feels strange, to imagine a family of five.  I look forward to holding her, to Nicholas and Audrey, both old enough to take this all in, meeting her for the first time.  In spite of this I am yet to make room, changes or preparations for her arrival!  We have been given a bassinet and a pram, I have washed two bags of gifted baby clothes and bought just two "pretty" sets of clothes.  The hand knitted woollens are out, ready for inspection and hand washing.

Audrey wakes on occasions through the night and calls out to her mama.  I mustn't sleep deeply because before I know it I am on my feet walking to her room.  Occasionally she has a wet bed, but more often than not she has woken and wants a cuddle.  It is something I have never denied, but I do wonder how I will manage when I throw 4 hourly feeds for a baby into the mix!

Twelve weeks until my due date, nine weeks left at work.  And so much to do.  Not only did I pick up an extra day this year, my work load doubled, care of higher duties and no back filling for my old position.  There is too much to do, with virtually no time to get it all done.  One day at a time, I tell myself.  Then the thing I look forward to most is de-cluttering at home!  My eyes are set on Audrey's room.  Little girls can accumulate SO much!

Lately Nicholas has set out his clothes and shoes for the next morning.  I am grateful that when he wakes up he is ready to get out of bed straightaway and wants his breakfast.  Yesterday he even folded his pyjamas and put them under the pillow of his unmade bed.  He is having a wonderful year at school which makes my heart glad.  His progress in maths and reading is positive and his maturity and confidence is growing.  He has settled in with a lovely group of friends, whose talk and play consists of Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Minecraft.

Audrey is enjoying surprising us with her repertoire of "big" words like 'complicated' and 'unusual', telling us she thinks she is ready for big school now.  I am looking forward to taking her to kindergarten, seeing her in her school uniform and a new school bag.  At the same time my heart breaks a little thinking of commencing a new, and big, part of her life without me.  David and I are forever conscious of how much time daily chores and commitments can steal from us.  That is why we try to make the little things, big things in their lives.

David has finished an intensive month or prac teaching.  He was fortunate to have some experience at a good school with a mix of years.  The first time taking classes from years 7-10 on his own has given him a great feel for the life of lesson plans and dealing with teenagers.  Something I don't think I could do at all!  Like me, the juggle of work, study and prac have taken their toll and we are relieved he has a 10 week break before university recommences.  We have decided we are both desperately in need of down time that includes early nights, brunch and hopefully a weekend away.  Maybe a movie or two.  But definitely rest and recovery before our routines change and we become five. :)

Right now, we settled for a celebratory dinner out with the kids. 

Wednesday

But really, photos from Sunday.  It was such a lovely, sunny May day for Mother's Day.  With so much going on in our house at present I was really just craving time to do nothing.  With a breakfast that has become routine for any special day (birthday's, Mothers/Fathers Day, Easter and Christmas).

I didn't want presents, just what Nicholas and Audrey purchased from the school P&C stall.  And then we went to Lanyon for the afternoon.  We took our own picnic blanket, bought Happy Meals for the kids.  Sitting in the sun we had coffee and scones while the kids played.  David read some of his text to prepare for an exam and I took Audrey for a walk through the out buildings. 

 

About 20 cockatoos flew overhead and Audrey spent the next little while imitating them, flying over the fields.

 

Saturday/Sunday

I never caught on to reality tv.  Big brother, My Kitchen Rules, Masterchef...

But does this count?

I am really enjoying The Great British Sewing Bee.  I am not really ambitious enough to make clothes for myself, but this is still a lot of fun to watch.  Before I found out I was pregnant I did buy a book with clothing in mind for myself and also have patterns for one skirt, a dress and a blouse that I've not yet attempted.  Maybe post-pregnancy I'll be ready!

Episode 1 (and all the others) can be found here. 

When Audrey was little I posted somewhere here that I was going to give her "Pea" as her nickname as she was quite sensitive and made me think of the Princess and the Pea.  Then I started collecting pictures, patterns and books of the Princess and the Pea.  I now have a dilemma - I have two lovely doll patterns, but don't know which one to make... I think probably the Tilda one.  I should really finish my stitchery first.

 On Friday Audrey's childcare preschool room had a Mother's Day lunch.  We had sandwiches and cupcakes.  The class sang two gorgeous songs including Catch A Falling Star.  When all the mum came into the room I could see Audrey anxiously scanning the room for me, and gave a huge smile when we made eye contact. 

Before I left she showed me (after asking if she could come with me) where they have a little play table set up for "High Tea".  Gorgeous sugar bowls and spoons, fairy plates and cups.  There is a little cookbook on a stand with petit fours and Audrey showed me her favourite ones.  I thought of the kids cubby house at home and while the kids have a kitchen and play food they don't play in there as much as I thought they would.  Yesterday I made her a table cloth (hemmed and all) and said we would set the little table up inside.  She asked for a bowl of soapy water and a cloth and she spent an hour sweeping dirt and cobwebs, washing down the stove and the food and then I brought the little table and chairs out.  She selected one of her tea sets and set it all up beautifully.  This morning I heard her go outside and went out after a while to find her in her pyjamas playing.  Porridge was had out there before the kids came inside for my "cooked" Mother's Day breakfast.  :)

Saturday

my little girl.  i am looking forward to see her as "big sister".

 

two of the things i love are the way she says "mcputer" for computer and always adds an extra 'ed' as in looked-ed...

Tuesday

Today is 21 weeks.  Also the day of my ultrasound.  One hour of watching our baby wriggle.  We saw lots of activity - hands moving to the face, feet wiggling.  All where it should be - fingers, toes, palate, spine, bladder, kidneys, four chambers in the heart.  A perfect heartbeat.  Everything that I wanted to know.

Oh, and apparently the clearest picture of a baby girl the sonographer has seen in a long time.

Sunday

After a very sleepless night I am sitting in my pyjamas.  Nicholas was sick last night, something I realise that we have not dealt with for a couple of years!

We were up and down numerous times, changing sheets, pyjamas, blankets.  Holding buckets, giving showers and drinks of water.  David filling the washing machine while I cuddled our crying boy, answering his questions.  "I don't want to die.  Am I going to die?"  "This is the worst day of my life, I am never eating pizza again." (No one else is sick so we think he has caught something from school.)

I sat down with a cup of tea to check email, which led to reading the news, which led to looking at blogs.  Then I read my own blog entries from 2008.  It obviously has made me sentimental as I began to think of this little one growing inside me.  I started to feel their kicks and movements last week (I had forgotten when this should happen and started to worry).  Last week I also created a 'Baby' album on Pinterest.  I think the shock and anxiety of another baby must be waning as after reading posts about Nicholas at age 2 and Audrey at 6 months old I wondered what this baby might think of being the third child and not mentioned??  So, however sporadically I begin to post again.  I'll see where this leads.